RhyoliteOutdoor Escape Game & Treasure Hunt

The Bullfrog Gold Rush and Rhyolite's Rapid Rise

Rhyolite's story began in November 1904, when prospectors Shorty Harris and E.L. Cross discovered gold in the Bullfrog Hills. The quartz, as Harris described it, was "just full of free gold." This discovery led to the rapid establishment of several mining camps. Rhyolite was officially platted in January 1905, and within six months, a two-tent mining camp became a town of approximately 5,000 people. The town was named after the silica-rich volcanic rock found in the area.

By 1907, Rhyolite had electric lights, indoor plumbing, telephone service, and 400 electric streetlight poles. It had hotels, stores, a school for 250 children, an ice plant, two electric plants, foundries, machine shops, and a miner's union hospital. Three railroads served Rhyolite: the Las Vegas & Tonopah, the Tonopah & Tidewater, and the Bullfrog-Goldfield. The Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad was hauling 50 freight cars per day into Rhyolite by 1907.

The Swift Decline of a Boomtown

The boom was short-lived. A financial crisis, known as the Knickerbocker Crisis, occurred in the summer and fall of 1907, causing banks nationwide to go bankrupt. This, combined with declining ore yields from the mines, led to a rapid decline. By 1910, the Cook Bank Building had closed, and its fixtures were sold. The largest mine, the Montgomery Shoshone, ceased operations in 1911. The town's population decreased quickly, and by 1920, only a few residents remained. The last of the railroad tracks were dismantled in 1919. Despite its brief existence, Rhyolite's concrete and stone structures, built during its peak, have endured, leaving a preserved ghost town that shows Nevada's gold rush era.

• —Cook Bank Building — This three-story poured concrete structure, completed in January 1908, was the finest of Rhyolite's four banks. Its ruins, with surviving walls open to the sky, are among the most photographed in Nevada. The basement housed the town's post office.
• —Tom Kelly's Bottle House — Built in 1906 by Australian miner Tom Kelly, this three-room house was constructed from an estimated 51,000 beer and liquor bottles, held together with adobe and mud. It shows the resourcefulness of miners in an area where timber was scarce.
• —Rhyolite Train Depot — Completed in June 1908, this Mission Revival-style building was constructed with concrete blocks on a solid foundation. It served three railroads during Rhyolite's peak and is one of the few remaining complete buildings. The depot had separate waiting rooms for gentlemen and ladies, and a ticket office.
• —Rhyolite Jail — Constructed in March 1907, this concrete jail had four steel cells. It was built after the town needed its own detention facility, having previously transported offenders to Bullfrog.
• —Porter Bros. Store — Built in 1906 from local stone at a cost of $10,000, this mercantile was a major employer in Rhyolite, second only to the mines. The Porter brothers, Hiram and Lyman, moved from a tent to a building on Golden Street, offering groceries, supplies, and furniture.
• —Goldwell Open Air Museum Entrance — This outdoor sculpture park began in 1984 with Belgian artist Albert Szukalski's "The Last Supper," an interpretation of Christ and his disciples. The museum has several large-scale art installations against the desert backdrop.

The best time to visit Rhyolite is from late fall to early spring (October to April). Daytime temperatures are pleasant, with average highs in November around 63°F (17°C) and in January around 57°F (14°C). The desert light during these seasons is suitable for photography. Summers, particularly July and August, should be avoided due to heat, with average high temperatures often exceeding 100°F (38°C). Precipitation is generally low year-round, but can be slightly higher in winter months. The Goldwell Open Air Museum hosts an arts festival, Albert's Tarantella, each October.

Rhyolite is about 120 miles (190 km) northwest of Las Vegas. To get there, take US-95 North from Las Vegas to Beatty, Nevada. In Beatty, turn left onto NV-374 S (Main Street) and drive about four miles to the turnoff for Rhyolite Road. The ghost town is about a mile up this paved road. Rhyolite is also approximately 35 miles east of the Furnace Creek Visitor Center in Death Valley.

Once in Rhyolite, the area is explored on foot. There are dirt lots for parking at the Goldwell Open Air Museum and the Bottle House. Parking within the main ghost town area is less formal; visitors generally park where they can. There are no public transportation options within Rhyolite itself. Cell service can be spotty. There are no shops or services in Rhyolite, so bring your own water and any other necessities.